Boll-weevil-catching machine



March 18 1924.

s. PAVILLARD BOLL WEEVIL .CATCHING HAOHINE F iled Jan- 25, 1923 Patented Mar. 18, 1924.

innren stares earner SAM PAVILLARD, 0F DECATUR, TEXAS.

BOLL-V/EEVIL-CATCHING MACHINE.

Application filed January 25, 1923. Serial No. mess.

catching insects from growing plants; and

the object is to provide a simple machine which will be highly efficient in catching insect-s from growing plants and particularly to catching boll weevils which destroy cotton. One way of destroying boll weevils is to gather the squares and young bolls in which eggs have been deposited and in which the larvae are developing. I have provided a simple machine which is adapted to catch the boll weevils and also the squares and bolls which are shaken from the growing plants by the machine. Other objects and advantages will be fully explained in the following description and the invention will be more particularly pointed out in the claims.

Reference is had to the accompanying drawings which form a part of the application.

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the machine. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same. Fig. 3 is a detail view of the means for shifting the gathering pans laterally. Fig. 4: is a perspective view of one of the gathering pans and the means for hanging the same. Fig. 5 is an enlarged detail view of the means which permit a lateral shifting of the pans.

Similar characters of reference are used to indicate the same parts throughout the several views.

The machine is provided with wheels 1 and 2 and an axle 3 which form the carrying means. As illustrated in the drawings. the machine is provided with two pairs of gathering pans 4: and 5 and 6 and 7 which. are hung on the axle 3. The sides 8 of the pans which are adjacent to each other are ower than the outsides 9. A pair of pans 4 and 5, or 6 and 7. run on each side of a row of stalks and the object is to have the outside members 9 higher for the purpose of preventing the escape of insects and to have the inside members 8 low enough to run under the cotton stalks. The pans are suspended from the axle 3 by hangers 10 which may be made of bar iron and riveted to the sides 9 and then twisted a quarter turn and extended over the axle 3 in U-shaped form, as shown in Figs. 4 and with parts thereof parallel to each other. Antifriction rollers 11. are provided so that the pans may be shifted laterally on the shaft of axle 3. A yoke 12 is provided with shoes 13 which engage the parts of the hanger 1O loosely. A screw bolt 14 operates through the upper part 15 of each hanger which is threaded and the bolt 14 has a swivel connection with the yoke 12. With such construction and arrangement. the hangers 10 may be used to adjust the pans to different heights. The yokes 12 will slide on the parts of the hangers which are parallel to each other. All the hangers 10 are provided with braces 16 which are-riveted to the hangers. By such bracing, all the hangers will move simultaneously. The front ends of the pans are supported by hangers 17 which are riveted to the sides 9 of the pans and attached to a cross bar 18. The machine is provided with she .ts 19 which are connected to the axle 3 by U-bolts 20. The bar 18 is I slidably mounted on the shafts 19 and the hangers 17 are provided with a brace 21. The object is to make all the pans move simultaneously and maintain their parallel relation to each other. Cross-braces 22 are attached to the shafts 19, the front one of these braces 22 may serve as a foot rest.

Means are provided for shifting of the pans laterally. A, rocker shaft 23 is pivotally connected to the braces 22 and provided with a foot piece 24. A crank 25 is formed on the shaft 23. A link bar 26 is pivotally connected to one of the braces 10. A simple pressure of thefoot on the piece 24 will shift all the pans laterally. Duplicate shafts 23 are provided so that either foot may be used to shift the pans for adjusting the pans to the rows of stalks. The pans are all beveled at their front ends to make converging fenders. See Fig. 2, beveled portions 27. The pans 5 and 6 are provided with fenders or agitators 29 which are inclined backwardly and outwardly and are adapted to strike against the stalks of cotton between these pans and the adjacent pans 4 and 7 respectively and the pans 4: and 7 are provided with fenders or agitators 28 backwardly and inwardly and are adapted to strike againstthe stalks of cotton between these pans and the adjacent pans 5 and 6 respectively. These agitators will shake the insects and bolls and squares down into the pans. The insects and bolls and squares are to be gathered and burned,

Means are provided for elevating and holding elevated the troughs or pans 4-, to 7, inclusive. Levers 30 and 31 are pivotally connected to a yoke 32 and the levers are fulcrumed on the cross braces 22' by means of U-bolts 33. The end of the lever 31 projects under a brace 16 and the end of the lever 80 projects under a brace 21. 'lhc operator can press on the yoke with his foot and a ise all the pans.

The machine is drawn by animal power generally With pans 4t and 5 on each side of and close to a row of cotton stalks and pans 7 and 8 on each side of another row of stalks. The fenders 27 tend to line the stalks in rows when the stalks are inclined to one side or the other. The agitators 28 shake the stalks as the machine is drawn along.

What I claim, is,

1. An insect gathering machine comprising a Wheeled truck provided With an axle and a frame, a transverse bar mounted slidably on said frame, gathering pans suspendcd from said bar, and slidably mounted on said axle, and means for shaking insects and bolls and squares into said pans during the moving of said truck.

2. An insect gathering machine comprising a Wheeled truckprovided with an axle and a frame, a transverse bar slidably mounted on said frame, gathering pans suspended from said bar and slidably connected With said axle, means for shifting all of said pans laterally on said axle and frame, and means for shaking insects, bolls and squares into said pans during the moving of said truck.

3. An insect gatheringmachine comprising a Wheeled truck provided With a frame and an axle, a transverse bar slidably mounted on said frame, pairs of gathering pans suspended from said bar and slidably connected with said axle, levers operatively connected with said pans for shifting said pans laterally on said axle and frame, and means for shaking insects, bolls and squares into said pans during the moving of said truck.

4. An insect gatl'iering machine comprising Wheeled truck provided with a frame and an axle, a transverse bar slidably mounted. on said frame, pairs of gathering pans suspended from said bar and slidably connected with said axle and'each pair of pans having its members spaced apart for passing on each side of a roW of stalks and having the front ends beveled to form converging fenders for bringing the stalks in line between the pans, and means for shakin insects, bolls and squares from the stalks into said pans during the moving of the truck.

5. An insect gathering machine comprising a Wheeled truck provided With a frame and an axle, a transverse bar slidably mounted on said frame, pairs of gathering pans suspended from said bar and slida-bly connected with said axle and the members of each pair of pans being spaced apart for passing on each side of a row of stalks and having their front ends beveled to form converging fenders for bringing the stalks in line between the pans and each pan carrying an agitator for shaking the stalks While passing, and means for elevating said pans at Will.

In testimony whereof, I set my hand this 12th day of January, 1923.

SAM PAVILLARD. 

